The effect of household composition on the gender-wage gap of migrant workers in China under the household registration system

Abstract

Gender-differences in household caregiver responsibilities contribute to the gender-wage gap. Our study examines the wage effects of living with (1) children, (2) spouse, and (3) elderly in the same household. We fully interact the three by categorising households into one of eight ‘household types’. Using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), while the presence of children as an isolated factor reduces female wages as expected, the effect is reduced when a spouse or an elderly member is also present, and that the negative effect of children are more pronounced for females at the lower-end of the wage spectrum.